Space

Europe and Satellite Communication Systems

The United Kingdom was the third entity to operate a telecommunications satellite in GEO, after the United States and INTELSAT. Its Skynet military communications network has been operational since 1974 following abortive starts in 1969 and 1970. A civilian direct broadcasting system, known as Marcopolo or BSB, debuted in 1989, but those assets have recently been sold to Norway and Sweden. The University of Surrey has earned an international reputation for low cost, high quality microsatellites, which have been used by several countries for modest communications tasks.